The present disclosure relates to vertical sheet compiling apparatus and methods of vertically compiling sheets.
Cross-referenced is commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,759, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. That patent discloses an apparatus for folding a set of sheets, for example to make booklets. The apparatus includes means defining a slot for accumulating sheets. The slot includes two sidewalls and a bottom. The apparatus also includes a selectably-operable contact member operable to press the accumulated sheet(s) against one of the sidewalls and means for operating the contact member following entry of a sheet into the slot. The means for operating the contact member retracts the contact member during entry of a sheet into the slot. The apparatus further includes a crease roll disposed adjacent to the slot, a blade for directing the set of sheets toward the crease roll, a stapler positioned to staple a set of sheets within the slot, and an elevator that moves the bottom wall and thus the collected sheets(s) within the slot. The elevator and contact member are operable so that the contact member presses collected sheet(s) against one of the sidewalls as the elevator moves a predetermined portion of the sheet(s) to a position between the stapler and the blade.
Compiling apparatus and systems are used in a variety of image forming devices and finishing devices. An example of a finishing device is a booklet maker. Booklet makers are devices for forming folded booklets which usually are stapled along a crease thereof. It is becoming common to include booklet makers in conjunction with office-range copiers and printers (as used herein, a “copier” will be considered a type of “printer”). In basic form, a booklet maker includes a slot for accumulating signature sheets, such as could be produced by a printer. The accumulated sheets, forming the pages of a booklet, are positioned within a stack so that a stapler mechanism and complementary anvil device can staple the stack precisely along the intended crease line. The creased and stapled sheet sets are then pushed, by a blade, completely through crease rolls, to form the final main fold in the finished booklet. The finished booklets are then accumulated in a tray downstream of the crease rolls.